Reclosable container and blanks therefor



D. H. BAUGHAN RECLOSABLE CONTAINER AND BLANKS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 8,1965 June 27, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR DRLJRY H. BAUGHAN r HISATTQRNEYS June 27, 1967 D. H. BAUGHAN 3,327,923

RECLOSABLE CONTAINER AND BLANKS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 8, 1965 4Sheets$heet 5 INVENTOR DRURY H. BAUGHAN a wwm HIS ATTORNEYS June 27,1967 I D. H. BALJGHAN 3,327,923

RECLOSABLE CONTAINER AND BLANKS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 8, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR. DRURY H. BAUG HAN BY a W; 'zwzzzw HISATTORNEYS United States Patent C) 3,327,923 RECLOSABLE CONTAINER ANDBLANKS THEREFOR Drury H. Baughan, Richmond, Va., assignor to ReynoldsMetals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 8,1965, Ser. No. 485,780 19 Claims. (Cl. 22951) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis disclosure relates to a reclosable container having a pair ofcooperating parallel walls held together by a plurality of side wallmeans including a pair of parallel multiple thickness end walls fastenedat opposite ends of such cooperating walls and providing such containerwith increased strength. Such reclosable container also has a singlethickness side wall means comprising its plurality of side wall meansand a simple tear-out strip adjoining such single thickness side wallmeans and extending across one terminal end of one of its cooperatingwalls and along both multiple thickness end walls, whereby such tear-outstrip is adapted to be severed to open the container, and the portion ofthe other cooperating wall means opposite the tear-out strip in the onecooperating wall is adapted to be folded to define a complete wall for afinal container of reduced volume.

This invention pertains to an improved container and more particularlyto improved reclosable containers and to improved blanks for making suchcontainers or the like.

The marketing and use of products whether packaged in bulk, such ascereal, or packaged after being presized or individually wrapped isgreatly increased by providing strong containers which are not easilydeformed, are easy to open for access to the product therein, and areeasy to close. In addition, it is desirable to provide a closure forsuch containers which is an integral part thereof and which may beinexpensively produced.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide an improvedcontainer of simple construction which is easily opened by tearing awaya strip thereof and which may be reclosed by utilizing an integralremaining portion. Furthermore, such container is kept closed withoutrequiring special orientation thereof.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved containerhaving strong end walls of multiple thickness which provide maximumstructural strength.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a unique container madefrom a generally rectangular blank thus minimizing waste of blankmaterial, such blank being adapted for cutting and scoring on standardmachinery thereby keeping production costs at a minimum.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedcontainer having one or more of the novel features of this invention asset forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved container blanksfor such a container or the like.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention are apparent froma reading of this description which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved container of thisinvention illustrating slit lines defining a tear-out strip adjacent oneside wall.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of an improved container blank of this inventionadapted to be utilized to form the container illustrated in FIGURE 1.

3,3Z7,Z3 Patented June 27, 1967 FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of thecontainer of FIGURE 1 showing outer tabs of each end wall removed priorto removing the remaining single piece tear-out strip which extends thefull height of each end wall and across the top wall.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the remaining single piece tear strip shown inFIGURE 3 partially removed as well as the manner of removing same.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the container with the tear-out striptorn away and a tubular stick of the product container therein removed.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the integral closure meansprovided for the container with the container closure flap partiallyinserted within such con tainer.

FIGURE 7 is an end sectional view showing the container with thetear-out strip removed and with the closure flap closed to produce acontainer of reduced volume, and by dotted lines showing the positionassumed by the closure flap to re-open such reduced volume container.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of thisinvention in which cut means is provided in an end wall enabling thecontainer tear-out strip, including both the inner and outer wallportions of such strip in each end wall, to be removed in one operation.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view partly broken away illustrating thetear-out strip of FIGURE 8 partially removed.

FIGURE 10 is part of a plan view of an improved container blank of thisinvention, adapted to be utilized to form the container of FIGURE 8,such blank being identical to the blank of FIGURE 2 except for thosedetails particularly shown.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter illustratedand described as being particularly adaptable for packaging tubularobjects, for example individually wrapped sticks of margarine or thelike, it is to be understood that the various features of this inventioncan be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to providecontainers for other articles as desired.

Therefore, this invention-is not to be limited to only the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-7an improved container 20 of this invention is illustrated, as well asthe improved container blank, in FIGURE 2, for making such container.

As more particularly illustrated in FIGURES 1, 3, and 4, container 20 inthis example is particularly adapted for packaging elongated tubularobjects such as elongated sticks of margarine, and for ease ofexplanation the present description will define the various walls of thecontainer by their orientation as shown in the drawings. Container 20 isprovided with a conveniently arranged simple tearout strip of uniformwidth making it possible to open such container easily to remove a stickof margarine arranged therein with its elongated dimension parallel to aside wall. Having been thus opened, such container is simply reclosed byutilizing integral portions of its single thickness walls to provideclosure means for the reduced volume container.

Container 20 has a pair of cooperating walls such as a generallyrectangular bottom wall 21 and a generally rectangular top wall 22 whichis spaced apart therefrom and in parallel relation therewith a distancedefining one dimension such as the height of container 20. Walls 21 and22 have their edges oriented in corresponding parallel relation.

Side wall means is provided and arranged between while fasteningtogether the cooperating bottom wall 21 and top wall 22 at their edgesto form a closed container having the general shape of a parallelepiped.The side wal means comprises a pair of spaced apart rectangular sidewalls 23 and 24 having a height equal to the height of container 20 andfastening the bottom wall 21 and top wall 22 together at opposite sidesthereof. The side wall means also includes a pair of spaced apart doublethickness end walls 25 and 26 having a height equal to the one dimensionand fastening the bottom wall 21 and top wall 22 together at oppositeends to thereby form a closed container.

As shown particularly in FIGURE 1 slit means is provided in top wall 22and end walls 25 and 26 immediately adjacent one side wall 24. The slitmeans in top wall 22 defines a first tear-out area shown as stripportion 27 and, the slit means in the end walls 25 and 26 defines secondand third tear-out areas shown in FIGURE 3 as end wall tab portions 28and 29 for the second area and end wall tab portions 30 and 31 for thethird area. The slit means completely traverses the height of end walls25 and 26 across the terminal side of top wall 22 to define a tearoutstrip of uniform width and equal to the height of container 20, whichwhen torn away exposes a stick of margarine on three sides thereofpermitting it to be simply grasped and removed as shown in FIGURE 5.

As shown in FIGURES and 6, score means shown as a score or fold line 32is provided in and arranged parallel to a terminal side of bottom wall21 defining a terminal portion 33 thereof. Terminal portion 33 is of uniform width equal in dimension to the height of the container while beingarranged opposite the tear-out strip portion 27 in top wall 22.

Upon tearing out the entire tear-out strip and removing a stick ofmargarine as previously described, the terminal portion 33 extendingbeyond and bounded by fold line 32 is folded thereabout to provide acomplete new side wall for the container of reduced volume thusproduced.

It will be seen in FIGURES 5-7 that upon removal of the tear-out stripthe single thickness side wall 24 defines an integral closure flap whichis inserted therewithin as an integral closure flap lying parallel toand against top wall 22.

End walls 25 and 26 are of double thickness thereby providing addedstrength for container 20, and are formed from wall extension means inat least two walls, shown in this example as extension means in bottomwall 21 and top wall 22.

The Wall extension means comprises extension flaps 36 and 37 at (seeFIGURE 2 illustrating the blank for container 20) opposite ends ofbottom wall 21 each having tabs 29 and 30 respectively at one endthereof, and extension flaps 38 and 39 at opposite ends of top wall 22each having tabs 28 and 31 respectively at one end thereof. Extensionflaps 36, 37, 38, and 39 are of generally equal extension.

End wall 25 is formed by overlapping flaps 36 and 38, with flap 38arranged on the outside to form the outer surface of Wall 25. Similarlyend wall 26 is formed by overlapping flaps 37 and 39, with flap 39arranged on the outside to form the outer surface of wall 26.

Each end wall is formed by suitably fastening together the extensionflaps forming each respective Wall at locations without (i.e., notwithin the areas defined by tabs 28 and 29 at one end and 30 and 31 atthe other) the tearout strip.

Container 20 is opened very simply by first tearing away tabs 28 and 32of end walls 25 and 26 respectively to thereby expose the portions ofthe inner flaps of such end walls which are integral with the top wall22 and also suitably slitted coextensive with top wall portion 27. Theinner flap portions 29 and 30 and the terminal tear-out strip portion 27of the top wall 22 are thus torn away in one continuous motion, asillustrated in FIGURE 4, to expose a stick of margarine for removalthereof and easy reclosure as previously described.

Container 20 can be formed in any suitable manner and made from anysuitable foldable material. It is preferably formed from the containerblank 40, illustrated in FIGURE 2. Blank 40 is made of cardboard or thelike having a side such as the exposed surface thereof laminated withmetallic foil, such as aluminum-containing metallic foil, or the like,suitably colored, embossed, imprinted, or remaining plain, as desired.

Blank 40* is of generally rectangular outline and is suitably cut andscored to define, in this example, six foldably connected walls shown aswalls 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26. Such walls include a pair ofcooperating walls illustrated in the drawing as rectangular bottom andtop walls 21 and 22 respectively.

Bottom walls 21 has fold lines 41 and 42 at opposite ends thereof withan extension flap 36 and 37 respectively, extending beyond each foldline. Extension flaps 36 and 37 define the inner surfaces of end walls25 and 26 respectively upon being folded about their respective foldlines in forming container 20 from blank 40.

Top wall 22 has fold lines 43 and 44 at opposite ends thereof with anextension flap 38 and 39 respectively extending beyond each fold line.Extension flaps 38 and 39 define the exterior surfaces of walls 25 and26 respectively upon being folded about their respective fold lines toform container 20.

Extension flaps 36, 37, 38, and 39 extend beyond their respective scorelines an equal dimension and upon assembling container 20 from blank 46such extension flaps are suitably fastened together to form a pair ofrectangular end walls 25 and 26 having a height generally equal to theirextended dimension.

Blank 46 has one side wall 24 defined in the center portion thereof. Afold line 45 defines the juncture of side wall 24 with bottom wall 21,while a plurality of slits 46 arranged in a rectilinear manner definethe juncture of side wall 24 with top wall 22.

Side wall 23 is formed at one terminal end of blank 40 and is defined byfold line 47 in such blank.

Extension fiap 36 has tab portion 29 bounded by slit lines 50 and 51 onadjacent sides thereof; and extension flap 38 has its tab 28 bounded bya slit line 52 on one side and the extension of fold line 43 shown at 53on the drawing at an adjacent side.

Extension fiap 37 has tab portion 30 bounded on adjecent sides thereofby slit lines 54 and 55. While extension flap 39 has its tab portion 31bounded by a slit line 56 and a fold line portion 57 which is anextension of fold line 44.

It will be seen, therefore, that the container of FIG- URE 1 is foldedfrom the blank 40 illustrated in FIGURE 2 and that side wall 23cooperates with a sealing flap 60 which is folded about a fold line 61in the portion of the blank adjoining bottom wall 21. Side wall 23 has apair of tabs 62 and 63 at each end while flap 60 has a pair of similarlylocated flaps 64 and 65. Upon fastening flap 60 to side wall 23 by glueor other suitable similar means, the container thus for-med is in theform of an open ended tubular structure. After folding extension flaps36, 37, 38, and 39 about their respective fold lines to form the endwalls of such container, tabs 62, 63, 64, and 65 are folded in contactwith their adjacent end walls.

Top wall 22 has slit means shown as a slit line 66 cooperating with slitline 46 and extending completely across top wall 22 to define firsttear-out area 27 having a uniform width equal to the height of thecontainer.

Bottom wall 21 has score line 32 therein near a terminal side thereof.Score line 32 defines the terminal portion 33 of bottom wall 21 and suchterminal portion is arranged in the blank adjoining side wall 24.

With side Walls 23 and 24 and end walls 25 and 26 having their heightsequal and equal to the tear strip it will be seen that upon openingcontainer 20 to remove a stick of margarine contained therein, theterminal portion of bottom wall 21 extending beyond score line 32 isfolded about such score line and provides a complete new side wall forreclosing the container, while side wall 24 provides a closure flaptherefor which folds within container while lying parallel to andagainst top wall 22. The closing means thus provided assures thatcontainer 20 will remain closed irrespective of its orientation duringsubsequent storage and use.

In the exemplary embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGURES8-10, a container and its associated blank is shown which is basicallysimilar to the container of FIGURES 1-7. In view of the similarity, thedescription of this latter embodiment will be considerably abbreviatedexcept for unique features of this latter embodiment. Similar parts inboth embodiments will be designated by the same numeral being followedin this latter embodiment by the reference letter A.

In FIGURE 8 of the drawings a container 20A is illustrated inperspective having bottom wall 21A, top wall 22A, side walls 23A and 24Aand end walls 25A and 26A.

In a similar manner as previously described with respect to the previousembodiment end wall 25A is made by overlapping and suitably fastening apair of extension flaps 36A and 38A, while end wall 26A is made byoverlapping and suitably fastening another pair of extension flaps 37Aand 39A.

The tabs 29A and 28A of flaps 36A and 38A respectively are suitablyfastened together in this embodiment of the invention. Similarly tabs30A and 31A of flaps 37A and 39A respectively are also suitably fastenedtogether. Flaps 37A and 39A and tabs 30A and 31A are not shown.

Cut means shown as a cut 70 is provided in one of the end walls,illustrated in end wall 25A in this example. Cut 70 is arranged near oneend of the tear strip and extends through both the inner and outer flapportions forming end walls 25A and 26A, i.e., cut 70 in this exemplaryembodiment extends through tabs 28A and 29A of end wall 25A such that anopening is provided for grasping one end of the tear-out strip andtearing such strip in one continuous motion to thereby open container20A. FIG- URE 9 shows such strip partly torn away.

Blank 40A, shown in FIGURE 10, is basically identical to blank 40 asshown in FIGURE 2. Therefore, only those detail portions of blank 40Awhich differ from blank 40 are shown. It should be noted that while out70 in this embodiment of the invention is shown in end wall 25A such cutcould be made in wall 25A and/or 26A.

The terms bottom wall and top wall have been utilized in thisdescription and the appended claims merely to define the position of thewalls as shown in the drawings. It is to be understood, however, thatthe container as shown could be inverted and in actual practice would,in fact, be inverted if the container were used for margarine or thelike. This would be achieved to place the slit means in the bottom walland thus avoid marring, even to the slightest extent, the top surface ofthe container.

It should also be pointed out that the terms end wall and side wall aremerely used to describe the positions as shown in the drawings.Obviously the container could be oriented in any manner.

Thus it is seen that an improved container of simple construction andmaximum strength is provided which is easy to open by tearing away asimple tear-out strip therefrom and which is easy to reclose positivelyby using an integral portion thereof.

Further, this invention provides improved blanks for forming suchcontainers orthe like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed asrequired by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within thescope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A reclosable container comprising, a pair of cooperating walls spacedapart in parallel relation a distance defining one dimension of saidcontainer, a plurality of side wall means arranged between and fasteningsaid cooperating walls together to form a closed container, said sidewall means including a single thickness side wall means, slit means inone of said pair of walls arranged along and parallel to a terminal sideof said one Wall defining a first tear-out area adjoining said singlethickness side wall means and extending across the full length of saidone wall while being equal in width to said distance, slit means in apair of said side wall means which adjoin said single thickness sidewall means defining oppositely arranged second and third tear-out areastherein aligned adjacent opposite ends of said first tear-out area andeach second and third tear-out area having one dimension equal to saiddistance, and score means in the other of said pair of cooperating wallsarranged parallel to and spaced by said distance from a side thereofadjoining said single thickness side wall means to define a terminalwall portion in the other of said cooperating walls, said terminal wallportion defining a complete wall for a reduced volume container formedupon removal of said tearout areas and folding said terminal wallportion about said score means and said single thickness side wall meansdefines a tuck flap for said reduced volume container.

2. A reclosable container comprising, a pair of cooperating walls spacedapart in parallel relation, side wall means including a pair of parallelmultiple thickness end walls arranged at opposite ends of saidcoopertaing walls, said side wall means fastening said cooperating wallstogether to form a closed container with said multiple thickness endwalls providing added strength therefor, slit means in said containerdefining a tear-out area therein, said tear-out area being of uniformwidth and commencing at the junction of one of said pair of multiplethickness end walls with one of said cooperating Walls and extendingthereacross and across the full length at a terminal side of the otherof said cooperating walls and across the other of said pair of endwalls, and score means near a terminal side of said one cooperating walldefining a terminal portion thereof having said uniform width andarranged opposite said tear-out area in said other cooperating wall suchthat upon tearing out said area to open said container and remove someof the product contained therein said terminal portion extending beyondsaid score means is folded thereabout providing means for reclosing saidcontainer.

3. A reclosable container as set forth in claim 2 in which said pairs ofwalls are rectangular in shape.

4. A reclosable container as set forth in claim 2 in which said uniformwidth is equal to said spacing between said cooperating walls.

5. A reclosable container as set forth in claim 2 in which said terminalportion in said cooperating wall extending beyond said score meansdefines a complete wall for said container, and the remaining side wallarea adjoining said portion defines an integral closure flap which isinserted within said container while lying parallel to and against saidone cooperating wall upon folding said terminal portion about said scoremeans. 7

6. A reclosable container comprising, a bottom and top wall spaced apartin parallel relation a distance defining one dimension of saidcontainer, a pair of spaced apart side walls fastening said bottom andtop wall together at opposite sides thereof, a pair of spaced apartdouble thickness end walls fastening said bottom and top wall togetherat opposite ends thereof to form a closed container, said doublethickness providing added strength for said container, slit means insaid top wall and double thickness end walls immediately adjacent oneside wall defining a tear-out strip having a uniform width equal to saiddimension and extending completely across said top and end walls, andscore means near a terminal side of said bottom wall defining a terminalportion thereof of said uniform width arranged opposite said tear-outstrip in said top wall such that upon tearing out said strip to opensaid container and remove some of the product contained therein, saidterminal portion extending beyond said score means is folded thereaboutand provides a new side wall for said container and said one side wallprovides a closure flap therefor.

7. A container as set forth in claim 6 in which said bottom, top, side,and end walls are rectangular in shape and are fastened together to forma container having the general shape of a parallelepiped.

8. A container as set forth in claim 6 in which said closure flap isadapted for folding within said container while lying parallel to andagainst said top wall.

9. A reclosable container comprising, a bottom and top wall spaced apartin parallel relation a distance defining one dimension of saidcontainer, a pair of spaced apart side Walls having a height equal tosaid one dimension and fastening said bottom and top wall together atopposite sides thereof, wall extension means in at least two walls ofsaid bottom, top, and side walls, a pair of spaced apart doublethickness end walls having a height equal to said one dimension andfastening said bottom and top wall together at opposite ends thereof toform a closed container each of said end walls being formed byoverlapping and fastening together said wall extension means, slit meansin said top and double thickness end walls immediately adjacent one sidewall defining a tearout strip having uniform width equal to said onedimension and completely traversing the height of said end walls andacross said top wall, and score means near a terminal side of saidbottom wall defining a terminal portion thereof of said uniform widtharranged opposite said tear-out strip in said top wall, such that withsaid side walls and end walls each having their height equal to said onedimension, upon tearing out said strip to open said container and removesome of the product contained therein, said terminal portion extendingbeyond said score means is folded thereabout and provides a complete newside wall for said container and said one side wall provides a closureflap therefor adapted for folding within said container while lyingparallel to and against said top wall.

10. A container as set forth in claim 9 in which said Wall extensionmeans comprises extension flap means in said top and bottom walls ateach end thereof, and means for fastening a top wall extension flapmeans with a bottom wall extension flap means at each end of saidcontainer after overlapping said flap means to form said doublethickness end walls each having inner and outer flaps.

11. A container as set forth in claim 10 in which said fastening meansfasten said inner and outer flaps together along the overlapped areawithout said tear-out strip and said tear-out strip for each end wall istorn away by first tearing away the outer flap portion thereof.

12. A container as set forth in claim 10 in which the inner flaps ofsaid end walls are formed from the extension of said top wall extensionflap means, and said fastening means fasten said inner and outer flapstogether along the overlapped area without said tear strip such thatsaid entire tear-out strip is torn away by first tearing away the outerflap portion thereof in each end wall and then tearing away in onecontinuous motion the inner flap of each end wall tear-out strip and thetop wall portion of said tear-out strip.

13. A container as set forth in claim 10 further comprising cut means inone of said end walls within said tear strip area, said out meansextending through both the inner and outer flaps thereof such that anopening is provided for grasping said tear-out strip at one end thereoffor tearing said strip away from said end Walls and top wall in onecontinuous motion.

14. A container formed from a single sheet of blank material which isopened by tearing away a portion thereof and reclosable for continuousreuse by providing a closure formed from an integral part of said sheetcomprising, a bottom and top wall spaced apart in parallel relation adistance defining one dimension of said container, a pair of spacedapart side walls having a height equal to said one dimension andfastening said bottom and top wall together at opposite sides thereof,extension flap means extending from said bottom wall and said top Wallat each end thereof, a pair of spaced apart double thickness end wallshaving a height equal to said one dimension and fastening said bottomand top wall together at opposite ends thereof to form a closedcontainer each of said end walls formed by overlapping and fasteningtogether an extension flap means extending from said bottom wall and anextension flap means extending from said top wall, slit means in saidtop and double thickness end walls immediately adjacent one side walldefining a tearout strip having uniform width equal to said onedimension and completely traversing the height of said end walls andacross said top wall, and score means near a terminal side of saidbottom wall defining a terminal portion thereof of said uniform widtharranged opposite said tear-out strip in said top wall, such that withsaid side walls and end walls each having their height equal to said onedimension, upon tearing out said strip to open said container and removesome of the product contained therein, said terminal portion extendingbeyond said score means is folded thereabout and provides a complete newside wall for said container and said one side wall provides a closureflap therefor adapted for folding within said container while lyingparallel to and against said top wall.

15. A blank being cut and scored to define a resulting container, saidblank comprising, a pair of cooperating Walls, a plurality of side wallmeans in said blank for fastening said pair of cooperating wallstogether to form said resulting container, said side wall meansincluding a single thickness side wall means, slit means in one of saidpair of cooperating walls extending across the full length of andarranged along and parallel to a terminal side of said one cooperatingwall defining a first tear-out area therein, said first tear-out areabeing adapted to adjoin said single thickness side wall means in saidresulting container, slit means in a pair of said side wall meanscooperating with said slit means in said one cooperating wall to definesecond and third tear-out areas having one dimension equal to anadjoining equal dimension in said first tear-out area, and score meansin the other of said pair of cooperating walls, said score means beingarranged parallel to and spaced by said dimension from a side thereofwhich adjoins said single thickness side wall means and defines aterminal Wall portion in the other of said cooperating walls, such thatupon assembling said blank to define said resulting container saidterminal wall portion is arranged opposite said first tear-out area,said resulting container being opened by tearing away said areas andreclosed by folding said terminal wall portion about said score means todefine a complete wall for a container of reduced volume and said singlethickness side wall means defines a tuck flap for said reduced volumecontainer.

16. A container blank being cut and scored to define six foldablyconnected walls comprising generally rectangular bottom and top wallseach having a fold line at each end thereof with an extension flapextending beyond each fold line, said extension flaps extending beyondtheir respective score lines an equal dimension and upon assembling acontainer from said blank being adapted for forming a pair ofrectangular end walls having a height equal to said dimension byoverlapping and fastening one of said top wall extension flaps with acorresponding bottom wall extension flap, a pair of spaced apartrectangular side walls having a height equal to said dimension, slitmeans in said top wall immediately adjacent one side wall, said slitmeans extending completely across said top wall and the extension flapsat each end thereof, said slit means defining a tear-out strip ofuniform width equal to said dimension, slit means in said extension flapportions of said bottom wall cooperating with said slit means in saidtop wall extension flaps to define a tear-out portion in each end Wallhaving uniform width, such that with said container formed from saidblank a tear strip is defined which completely traverses the height ofeach of said end walls and across said top wall adjacent said one sidewall, and score means near a terminal side of said bottom wall, saidscore means defining a terminal portion thereof of said uniform widthequal to said dimension and being arranged in said blank adjacent saidone side wall, such that with said side walls and end walls each havingtheir height equal to said dimension, upon tearing out said strip toopen the container formed from said blank and remove part of the productcontained therein said terminal portion extending beyond said scoremeans is folded thereabout and provides a complete new side wall forreclosing said container and said one wall provides a closure flaptherefor adapted for folding within said container while lying parallelto and against said top wall.

17A container blank as set forth in claim 16 in which said overall blankis of generally rectangular outline thus providing optimum use of blankmaterial with substantially no waste.

18. A container blank as set forth in claim 16 in which said one Wall isarranged in the middle portion of said blank with said top Walladjoining one side thereof and said bottom Wall adjoining the other sidethereof.

19. A substantially rectangular blank being cut and scored to define aresulting container, said blank comprising, a pair of cooperating wallsspaced apart in parallel relation, side wall means including a pair ofparallel multiple thickness end walls arranged at opposite ends of saidcooperating Walls, said side wall means fastening said coperating Wallstogether in said resulting container to form a closed container withsaid multiple thickness end walls providing added strength therefor,slit means in said blank defining a tear-out area in said resultingcontainer said tear-out area being of uniform width and commencing atthe junction of one of said pair of multiple thickness end walls withone of said cooperating walls and extending thereacross and across thefull length at a terminal side of the other of said cooperating wallsand across the other of said pair of end walls, and score means in saidone cooperating Wall near a terminal side thereof defining a terminalportion thereof having said uniform width and arranged opposite saidtear-out area in said other cooperating Wall of said resultingcontainer, such that upon tearing out said area to open said resultingcontainer to remove some of the product contained therein said terminalportion extending beyond said score means is folded thereabout providingmeans for reclosing said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,772,625 8/ 1930 Caulfield229-51 1,905,992 4/1933 Bogren 22951 2,112,143 3/1938 Costa et al 229-513,000,547 9/ 1961 Fowle et a1. 229-51 3,086,692 4/1963 Cage 229513,127,088 3/1964 Jacobson 22951 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,183,269 1/ 1959France.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Examiner.

1. A RECLOSABLE CONTAINER COMPRISING, APAIR OF COOPERATING WALLS SPACEDAPART IN PARALLEL RELATION A DISTANCE DEFINING ONE DIMENSION OF SAIDCONTAINER, A PLURALITY OF SIDE WALL MEANS ARRANGED BETWEEB AND FASTENINGSAID COPERATING WALLS TOGETHER TO FORM A CLOSED CONTAINER, SAID SIDEWALL MEANS INCLUDING A SINGLE THICKNESS SIDE WALL MEANS, SLIT MEANS INONE OF SAID PAIR OF WALLS ARRANGED ALONG AND PARALLEL TO A TERMINAL SIDEOF SAID ONE WALL DEFINING A FIRST TEAR-OUT AREA ADJOINING SAID SINGLETHICKNESS SIDE WALL MEANS AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE FULL LENGTH OF SAIDONE WALL WHILE BEING EQUAL IN WIDTH TO SAID DISTANCE, SLIT MEANS IN APAIR OF OF SAID SIDE WALL MEANS WHICH ADJOIN SAID SINGLE THICKNESS SIDEWALL MEANS DEFINING OPPOSITELY ARRANGED SECOND AND THIRD TEAR-OUT AREASTHEREIN ALIGNED ADJACENT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FIRST TEAR-OUT AREAS ANDEACH SECOND AND THIRD TEAR-OUT AREA HAVING ONE DIMENSION EQUAL TO SAIDDISTANCE, AND SCORE MEANS IN THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF COOPERATING WALLSARRANGED PARALLEL TO AND SPACED BY SAID DISTANCE FROM A SIDE THEREOFADJOINING SAID SINGLE THICKNESS SIDE WALL MEANS TO DEFINE A TERMINALWALL PORTION IN THE OTHER OF SAID COOPERATING WALLS, SAID TERMINAL WALLPORTION DEFINING A COMPLETE WALL FOR A REDUCED VOLUME CONTAINER FORMEDUPON REMOVAL OF SAID TEAROUT AREAS AND FOLDING SAID TERMINAL WALLPORTION ABOUT SAID SCORE MEANS AND SAID SINGLE THICKNESS SIDE WALL MEANSDEFINES A TUCK FLAP FOR SAID REDUCED VOLUME CONTAINER.